diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/selector_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/selector_assertions.rb
index 9114894b1d90f..2264d5d3a3db2 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/selector_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/selector_assertions.rb
@@ -472,7 +472,13 @@ def assert_select_rjs(*args, &block)
           matches
         else
           # RJS statement not found.
-          flunk args.shift || "No RJS statement that replaces or inserts HTML content."
+          case rjs_type
+            when :remove, :show, :hide, :toggle
+              flunk_message = "No RJS statement that #{rjs_type.to_s}s '#{id}' was rendered."
+            else
+              flunk_message = "No RJS statement that replaces or inserts HTML content."
+          end
+          flunk args.shift || flunk_message
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/assert_select_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/assert_select_test.rb
index 1531e7c21a0bc..cce8f8dc21a2d 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/assert_select_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/assert_select_test.rb
@@ -433,6 +433,17 @@ def test_assert_select_rjs_for_remove
     assert_select_rjs :remove, "test1"
   end
 
+  def test_assert_select_rjs_for_remove_offers_useful_error_when_assertion_fails
+    render_rjs do |page|
+      page.remove "test_with_typo"
+    end
+
+    assert_select_rjs :remove, "test1"
+
+    rescue Test::Unit::AssertionFailedError
+      assert_equal "No RJS statement that removes 'test1' was rendered.", $!.message
+  end
+
   def test_assert_select_rjs_for_remove_ignores_block
     render_rjs do |page|
       page.remove "test1"
@@ -454,6 +465,17 @@ def test_assert_select_rjs_for_show
     assert_select_rjs :show, "test1"
   end
 
+  def test_assert_select_rjs_for_show_offers_useful_error_when_assertion_fails
+    render_rjs do |page|
+      page.show "test_with_typo"
+    end
+
+    assert_select_rjs :show, "test1"
+
+    rescue Test::Unit::AssertionFailedError
+      assert_equal "No RJS statement that shows 'test1' was rendered.", $!.message
+  end
+
   def test_assert_select_rjs_for_show_ignores_block
     render_rjs do |page|
       page.show "test1"
@@ -475,6 +497,17 @@ def test_assert_select_rjs_for_hide
     assert_select_rjs :hide, "test1"
   end
 
+  def test_assert_select_rjs_for_hide_offers_useful_error_when_assertion_fails
+    render_rjs do |page|
+      page.hide "test_with_typo"
+    end
+
+    assert_select_rjs :hide, "test1"
+
+    rescue Test::Unit::AssertionFailedError
+      assert_equal "No RJS statement that hides 'test1' was rendered.", $!.message
+  end
+
   def test_assert_select_rjs_for_hide_ignores_block
     render_rjs do |page|
       page.hide "test1"
@@ -496,6 +529,17 @@ def test_assert_select_rjs_for_toggle
     assert_select_rjs :toggle, "test1"
   end
 
+  def test_assert_select_rjs_for_toggle_offers_useful_error_when_assertion_fails
+    render_rjs do |page|
+      page.toggle "test_with_typo"
+    end
+
+    assert_select_rjs :toggle, "test1"
+
+    rescue Test::Unit::AssertionFailedError
+      assert_equal "No RJS statement that toggles 'test1' was rendered.", $!.message
+  end
+
   def test_assert_select_rjs_for_toggle_ignores_block
     render_rjs do |page|
       page.toggle "test1"